From the Ashes
by Obloquious
Summary: Seven months after the disappearance of the future Rokudaime Uzumaki Naruto, he returns to Konaha. But with him he brings a strange girl named Yuri and the new-found ability to summon foxes.  NaruHina
1. Hinata's New Mission

Author's Note:

Hello my few faithful readers, it has been awhile since I last posted something, and I'm sure of those reading this they were hoping I might update one of my other two stories…that will hopefully be coming soon. Before I begin with this tale of awesomeness I should let all of you know that I have adopted this story from Trisya-Rogan-Draegalia who ran into a roadblock on this story so I offered to continue it after my computer was fixed from a nasty virus.

That has obviously now happened. A number of the ideas in this story are Trisya's and it won't be up until the eighth chapter that I will actually be running under my own power with the story. Without further ado let us begin.

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own any part of Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, etc, etc... Only the OC's are mine/Trisya's…Trisya's seeing as I have no OC's yet and they're merely on loan for this story.

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><p>The Hyuuga heiress sat in the Hokage's office, waiting for the Godaime Hokage to say something. Minutes passed, and Hinata could feel Tsunade studying her. The silenced seemed to thicken, and the docile kunoichi began to twitch anxiously.<p>

"Was there something you needed to tell me, Tsunade-sama?" Hinata asked, her voiced wavering slightly but the young woman refused to let herself stutter again. It had been that fear off misspeaking that had allowed her to let Naruto leave, again.

...

Flashback

...

Uzumaki Naruto stood at Konoha's gate, ready to leave on another mission. His red and black sage cloak flew out behind him in the breeze that flew through the village. Next to his side stood Uchiha Sasuke, the forming missing-nin that had come to his senses after losing an intense battle to the dead last, Naruto. The last Uchiha was talking to Naruto in a carefree manner, so different from the Sasuke he had been in their genin and chuunin days. Naruto laughed before Sasuke walked away with a wave and a crooked smile, heading back into the village.

Hinata stood from a distance, watching her childhood crush prepare to leave once more. The Hyuuga felt herself struck with a sense of foreboding, a sudden fear that this was the mission that her Naruto-kun would no return from. She shook herself to calm her anxious thoughts, trying desperately to reassure herself, telling herself that Naruto was a strong ninja and his nindo wouldn't let himself die. After all, he had promised Sakura-san that he would always come back. _For her, _Hinata began to think.

While she battled her own emotions, Hinata missed Naruto greet a number of ANBU, all disguised by their animalistic masks. Naruto glanced in Hinata's direction, where he knew she was, before smiling and walking slowly away from the village. Hinata glanced up, just in time to watch her favourite blond disappear over the horizon.

...

End Flashback

...

Her Naruto-kun had never returned from that mission. A part of Hinata had died when she saw two of the ANBU from that mission return, bruised and broken, bearing terrible news. Their future Rokudaime had disappeared, taken in the midst of battle. They had no idea if he was captured or not, injured or unharmed. All they knew was that he was gone.

Staring back at the Godaime, Hinata remembered the day she had found out her Naruto-kun was lost.

...

Flashback

...

Holding a mug of tea, Hinata sat next to Sakura, in her living room, a tradition the two had set up long ago. Each time Naruto was away from the village, either training with unknown masters or on a mission, the two would have lunch every day, waiting for their hero to return. Both knew of the other's love for Naruto, but they both cared about him enough to sit next to each other as they waited for him to come home. They could be as unfriendly as they wanted when Naruto was safe but, while he was away, they had a common enemy: worry.

"Hey, Hina-chan," Sakura greeted the Hyuuga heiress with a sad smile.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan. How are you?"

"The usual." Sakura took a sip from her mug before placing the cup down and folding her legs under her. "I- I don't think he's been gone this long before."

"Neither do I… I was going to ask you about that. I don't think-" Whatever she had been about to say was quickly forgotten as Hinata stared at her mug, gasping at the crack that just formed. Her mouth moved wordlessly as she glanced at Sakura, now bearing a worried frown. Both women stood from the table quickly, sloshing the tea as they sped towards the front door.

Breathless, they arrived at the gate. Hinata watched as two masked ANBU collapsed just outside of the village. She ran towards the pair, her hands already glowing with green energy. She and Sakura got to work healing the injured ninja while others began to crowd near the gate.

The ANBU that Hinata was working over coughed, trying to speak. Hinata tried to quiet him, but he insisted. She was just about to put him to sleep when he said something that made her heart skip a beat.

"He- He's gone. I- I can't- I couldn't-" the ANBU struggled to form a coherent sentence. Hinata felt her heart skip another beat, and another. Her vision grew hazy and she heard a voice so much like her own, screaming in agony.

The Hyuuga felt gravity betray her as she fell forward, crying as she hit the ground. Sakura glanced around her, panicked and trying not to act on an assumption. Tsunade separated herself from the crowd and stopped in her tracks.

In front of her lay two injured ANBU, one in the process of being healed by her student, Haruno Sakura. To the side, by the second ANBU, lay Hyuuga Hinata, writhing as if she were in pain. A painful stab into her heart and Tsunade felt herself fall to her knees, understanding what had happened. _He's gone._

...

End Flashback

...

Hinata was blinking away tears, reliving the raw memories. Naruto had disappeared seven months ago, all hope long gone from the village. Now, there was no heir for the Hokage's seat, all capable ninja refusing, trying to give Naruto time to come back. All of Naruto's friends, a very sad number, had been given a chance to search for him in a single mass force. The mission was short, Konoha could not spare its entire ninja force for long, but it sent a disheartening message. They had returned to the area described by the ANBU but had found no trace. The old battlefield was slowly disappearing, the forest healing after the destruction that had been the Konoha ninja's downfall. With Kiba's nose, the group had been able to trace Naruto's path before it disappeared. There was not even a body to bring back to Konoha.

After that failed mission, the Godaime had ordered an end to failed recovery missions with tears in her eyes. It broke Hinata's heart but she had obeyed, always cursing the moment she had let herself shove away her own instinct as she watched Naruto turn away for the last time.

Breaking out of her memories, she returned attention to her surroundings. Tsunade sighed sadly, motioning for Hinata to stand. Obliging, the younger kunoichi got to her feet, confused.

"Actually, you may want to sit." Tsunade shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She walked around her desk before kneeling close to Hinata. "Hinata. I need you to do a favour for me."

"Yes, Godaime-sama?"

"Hinata, for this to work, we need to have at least a semblance of equality. Just call me Tsunade. I'm getting way too old for this job, anyway." Tsunade rubbed her temples, reaching for her trusty bottle of sake, always hidden behind the portrait of herself. She poured two glasses and shoved one into Hinata's hand. "It has been seven months, Hinata."

"I'm fully aware of that, Tsunade-sama," Hinata spoke, proud of her voice for not shaking once.

"I'm only reminding you because I want you to do something for me."

"What is it Tsunade-sama?"

"First, call me Tsunade-sama one more time and I will personally punch you to Suna. I like you, don't make me do that. Second, I'm sending you on a SS mission, if you accept."

"What is this mission, exactly?"

"I can't tell you. I'm not entirely sure myself. All the information I have to give you is a note."

"Who requested the mission?" Hinata asked the Godaime, know both curious and confused. Tsunade responded by holding up what Hinata assumed to be the mission request.

"He signed with a Whirlpool Country clan symbol." The elder woman pointed to the signature. There, in plain black ink was the Uzumaki clan symbol. "Hinata… There is only one Uzumaki left. The others all died when Whirlpool was destroyed. And on top of that, the sender specifically asked for you."

Hinata's eyes scanned the paper quickly. There was no description for the mission, only map coordinates and a side note that clearly said 'Send Hyuuga Hinata'. The kunoichi felt her breathing become ragged as her eyes grew wide. _There is only one Uzumaki left. Oh my god, Naruto I will KILL you! _Hinata thought, trying to remain conscious.

When she was more or less recovered. The Hyuuga stared at the note then back at Tsunade. Clearing her throat, she made a single comment. "Get me a map, Tsunade. I'm leaving in twenty minutes."

With that, the young woman arose from her seating, downing her glass of sake in one shot and slamming the glass down onto the Hokage's desk and jumping gracefully out of the window. With the ghost of amusement, Tsunade walked over her desk, lifting the glass and smirking lightly at the small indentation left in the once level surface. The Hokage hid her precious sake once more behind her portrait and grabbed a map from one of her shelves before walking to the main gate to wait for Hinata.


	2. Mission Start

Author's Note: O.o Oh dear…I'm going to have to be careful, Trisya is reading the story o.O…oh well, I guess I'll just have to wow her once the story takes flight from my mind. Glad to see that the adopted story is getting positive reviews and also that views on my other two stories have once again picked up…still haven't gotten much farther on the next chapter of "PoaH" though. I should get back to those two…*Broods in dark corner of room*

Disclaimer: I don't own the official Naruto in any way shape or form…I also don't officially own the OC that comes in later on. But other than that I AM A GOD! *cackles maniacally before passing out from lack of oxygen*

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><p>Hinata flew around her room, packing for her mission. She sealed the last of her shuriken and kunai into scrolls, a useful technique that had been taught to her by Hyuuga Tenten, her cousin's wife. She looked over her equipment once, making sure that she didn't forget anything in her rush. Pleased with her supplies, she turned to exit her room, only to be stopped by an ominous shadow in her doorway.<p>

"Father," Hinata struggled to remain polite to the man who had repeatedly tried to diminish her self-worth, more of than not, he had succeeded in doing so.

"And where are you going?" Hyuuga Hiashi demanded, being as cold and arrogant as always, after all, he had no such responsibility to be civil to his eldest daughter.

"I have a mission, and I was personally requested by Hokage-sama."

"Ooh, personally? Do you think that make you special?" He asked in a voice that dripped with venom, "Hanabi should be the one on important missions from the Hokage, not you. Isn't it sad that your younger sister already stronger than you? Then again, she always was." Hiashi continued, oblivious to Hinata's mood as she seethed in anger quietly. "You always were the weak one, always following after that demon like you were his-" If Hiashi was able to carry on, he probably would have. However, he was now held paralyzed by the massive killing intent that was radiating off of Hinata.

"I would _appreciate _itif you were quiet, actually. Thank you for reminding me why I could've ever wanted anything more than the life that you made for me. So, Father, in case you haven't learned, I'm about to leave on an SS rank mission from which I might not return. Knowing that, would you please _shut up!_ I'm a little too busy to be dealing with your outrageous expectations and ideals. If that is all, I'll be leaving now. And, Father? If I come back, I'll come by to pick up my things. Goodbye," Hinata nearly growled before she ended her tirade pleasantly. She disappeared down the hallway, releasing her father from her chakra before any Branch members could begin to stop her on her way out.

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><p>At the Gate<p>

Tsunade, the Slug Sannin and Godaime Hokage, stood waiting for the newly appointed Jounin, Hyuuga Hinata. Senju Tsunade had decided to make the woman a jounin right before she had gotten the mission request from who she suspected to be Uzumaki Naruto.

After Naruto's disappearance, the young woman, barely eighteen, had been pushing herself further and further. She had gotten herself assigned to increasingly dangerous missions more and more often. Even as a chuunin, she had an impressive mission count, so impressive that some of her friends in Konoha had begun to call her Konoha's Lioness, a nickname that was slowly but surely catching on. While it did not inspire the same fear that began at the mention of the Yellow Flash, the White Fang, Sharingan Kakashi, or the Green Beast, it was gaining more respect as her repertoire of missions grew more and more impressive.

Map in hand, Tsunade began to pace. '_Hinata had said that she was leaving in twenty minutes? She must love him even more than I realized…'_ Tsunade mused as she spotted Hinata jumping across the rooftops in the distance. As she grew closer, Tsunade could see the determined light shining in Hinata's eyes, a light that few had the chance to see.

Hinata landed gracefully beside Tsunade, straightening her hair and taking a deep breath.

"Calm down, Hinata. If it's him, I'm sure he's not going anywhere really soon. I only got this mission this morning."

"You've had it all morning! Why didn't you tell me?" Hinata asked, looking scandalized.

"Because," Tsunade began, holding a vest out. "I needed permission from the council to give you this."

"Is that a-" Hinata asked with wide eyes as she stared at the jounin vest in the older woman's hand.

"Yes. Congrats, jounin. Expect a visit from Danzo. Turn him down. I don't want you to become one of his puppets."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama!"

"Hinata-"

"I'm sorry, it slipped out," Hinata smiled, crossing her hands over her mouth.

"I bet it did. Now, I believe you have a mission to complete. According to the coordinates, you're going…You're going to Whirlpool Country? What?"

"What is it?"

"He's in Whirlpool Country…in the Hidden Whirling Tides Village…It was destroyed in the last war. I wonder what he could be doing in the ruins of that village…" Tsunade gasped, "He must've figured out who his mother was. Oh god, this is going to be trouble…"

"Why would that be a problem? What's wrong with knowing who his mother is?"

"Was," Tsunade corrected. "His mother was Uzumaki Kushina. She died shortly after giving birth to him. I'm still not sure exactly what went wrong during her pregnancy with Naruto… Anyways, it's not his mother's identity that's the problem; it's his father's identity that he might have trouble coming to terms with."

"Why? Who was the father?" Hinata pried.

"The Yondaime, the Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato. You know him by a number of names. Naruto knows him as the man that sealed the Kyuubi inside of him. I'm not exactly sure how he'll take knowing that the man who sealed the Kyuubi in him was his own father."

"He wouldn't have been sure whether or not he should be happy or angry. He'd probably end up proud of what his dad did for the village. He'll probably think that being the Fourth's son will help his reputation when he becomes Hokage after this mess is over. Trust me, Tsunade, I know him."

"I guess so… Well, you've got a mission to do. When you see that baka, would you smack him upside the head for me?"

"Sure thing, Tsunade."

"Good luck. And don't die; I'm starting to like you."

"I'll miss you too, Tsunade-obaachan," Hinata laughed, waiting for the reaction that she was sure to get. Tsunade's face grew very red, her fist rising for a moment before she lowered it a few seconds later.

"Yeah, I guess I am old… Drag that baka back by his ears Hinata-chan. And please don't mention his parents unless he does; I want to be the one to talk to him."

"Why?"

"Because...I'm his godmother and Jiraiya was his godfather. Jiraiya was Minato's sensei and I was one of Kushina's best friends." Tsunade explained with a sad smile, and Hinata nodded in understanding. She placed a hand on the Godaime's shoulder comfortingly before sprinting out of the village, barely visible to the Slug Sannin's eyes. Tsunade watched the girl until she disappeared and then slowly walked back to the Hokage tower.

Finally, she sat down at her desk, waiting. Seconds later, Shizune burst through the door, laden with stacks of paperwork. Tsunade took one look at the stack before glancing longingly towards her hidden sake. Shizune dumped the paperwork on her desk before walking over to Tsunade's portrait, lifting it and removing the hidden sake.

"I thought I told you to go easy on the alcohol." Shizune growled and Tsunade tensed; everyone assumed that Shizune was always quiet and obedient, the Hokage's shadow. That was far from the truth if you got on her bad side.

"Yeah, well…I really needed it after this morning," Tsunade defended herself.

"Oh really? And what happened this morning that was so demanding? From the looks of your desk, you haven't gotten any paperwork done, and is that- is that a glass imprint in your desk?" Shizune shouted towards her mother-figure.

"That wasn't me. That was-"

"Who else drinks sake in this office? Huh? Or did you find a new drinking buddy?"

"That was Hinata."

"Hyuuga Hinata? I kind of doubt that. The last time I checked, she couldn't stand the taste of sake, especially your stuff," Shizune said, pouring the sake out of the window.

"Wait, no! Aw, Shizune! That was all the way from Rice Country!" Tsunade pouted, defeated.

"Then I can relax before you get more."

"You were so sweet before I was Hokage, Shizune-chan. What happened?"

"Simple, I got responsible. You didn't. I compensated. Now, you have paperwork to do," Shizune commanded while Tsunade groaned. Glancing at the pile on her desk, her only thought was, '_What did I do to deserve this? How did Hiruzen-sensei deal with this for so long?'_

Shizune left the office and Tsunade took another look at the mission request form. Tsunade turned it over, looking for anything that could distract her from the pile of work on her desk.

She glanced quickly down the paper, small writing catching her eye in the lower left hand corner.

_If you're reading this, Hinata-chan is probably on her way. I'm not in any danger, so don't worry about me or Hina-chan. I found the old hidden village. You'll never guess what I found. I can't tell you now, it's too dangerous for a message; I'll explain when I see you._

_By the way, try using Kage no Bunshin for the paperwork. When they're dispelled, you learn everything that they know. It really helped with my elemental chakra training with Yamamato-taichi and Kakashi-sensei. _

_See you soon,_

_The last Namikaze_

Studying the signature, Tsunade swore that she recognized the N. She smiled once before reading the note. Her mouth falling open as she dropped the piece of parchment. '_Shadow Clones? How could I have been so stupid!'_

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Tsunade shouted. Puffs of smoke erupted in her office, and then dissipated, revealing four copies of the Godaime Hokage. Immediately, they began to work, the real Tsunade sitting at the desk before grabbing her own pile of papers. When Shizune walked back into the room later, Tsunade was gone, with a pile of completed paperwork sitting on the edge of her desk.


	3. Revalations

Author's note: O.O Shit's startin' to get scary here! I actually want to update again on the next day…where the heck is my sanity…Ah well, enjoy! :D

Side note from Trisya: "I had a friend talk to me the other day about my stories, so I just wanted to bring up that point in front of anyone and everyone reading this, or my other fics: OC's and original Jutsu are up for grabs if they fit a story of yours, just please tell me first so I don't read your work and freak out o.O"

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if you believe that I do…I know that there are some great people out there called physciatrists to help you…yeah…they specialize in stuff like insanity.

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><p>Miles vanished under the Lioness' feet as she leapt from treetop to treetop, following her memory of the map to the abandoned Whirlpool Country. It had been two days since she had left Konoha and the sea was already in sight. She jumped out of the tree line, landing in a crouch close to shore.<p>

"Okay, Naruto-kun, now what?" She said to herself. A surge of motion captured her eyes; a whirlpool rotated half a mile away from the rocky beach. _ Whirlpools…That's it! _Hinata thought to herself, activating her kekkai genkai, the famous Byakugan.

Studying the whirlpool and its surrounding waters, Hinata was forced to stifle a gasp. There, directly below the whirlpool, was a water current that acted as a sort of tunnel through the water. Following its path, it seemed to wind under the island in the distance, disappearing into an underwater cave. The young jounin made a spur of the moment decision, one that could have ended in her demise. She walked atop the water, as close as she could to the whirlpool without the water collapsing underneath her.

Watching the currents spin, Hinata recognized the shape that had given birth to the Uzumaki spiral. She paused at the whirlpool before taking a deep breath and diving headfirst into the churning water.

The current carried her easily through the water, sending her tumbling through the waves. Looking past the current, Hinata spotted a coral reef, dotted with colourful fish and a large shark, darting in and out of the shadows. In a flurry of bubbles, the young woman was sucked into the underwater cave under the island.

The cave began with a shallow pool in which the current had deposited Hinata. Further in, the cave grew wider and taller, eventually ending in a shadow that even the Byakugan could not see through. The young ninja pulled herself out of the water, coughing. She regained her composure before she began walking towards the cave end. Just when Hinata thought that the cave would simply end in darkness, a bright light filled her eyes, temporarily blinding the heiress. When her vision cleared, her breath was taken away.

The cave had opened into an open atrium surrounded on all sides by mountain. In this space appeared the remains of a hidden village. Crumbling buildings, which once stood proud in the mountain's crater now lay abandoned. Hinata was about to take a step towards the village when she heard a voice behind her.

"It was even worse when I got here. It seems that whoever did this didn't see fit to bury the dead," said a very familiar voice. In a daze, Hinata spun on her heel and hugged the source of the voice.

"Naruto-kun…"

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><p>"It's good to see you too, Hinata-chan," the blond ninja said with a grin. That grin was short lived as he felt a fist bury itself in his gut. "OW! What the hell was that for?"<p>

"For making us all think you were dead! Do you have any idea what we've been through? Do you know how long it's been since you disappeared?"

"Umm…Seven months? Maybe? I'm not exactly sure; it was hard to keep track of time where I was."

"You know nobody wants to be Hokage? Tsunade-obaachan has been trying to retire for almost five months, but no one will take the position because you were supposed to be the Rokudaime!"

"Listen, I know-"

"No, you don't! You have no idea what the village has been through! Do you want to know how Sakura-san and I found out? We were having lunch, like we always did when you were away from the village. I got a bad feeling so we rushed to the gate. We found two collapsed ANBU in really bad shape. The first thing the one I was healing said was 'He's gone.' Don't even tell me you know what we've been through because of your little stunt."

"My little stunt?" Naruto chuckled, amused. Hinata raised her fist and the smirk disappeared. "And what of your stunts, Lioness?" At Hinata's surprised expression, the chuckle returned. "I may not have been in Konoha, but I kept up with the times. I may not be Ero-sennin, but I do have my own spy network."

"In the Leaf?"

"Yes, even in the Leaf. You never know who could be a snake. Literally."

Minutes passed, tension growing between the two Leaf shinobi. Suddenly, Hinata punched Naruto again before pulling him into her arms.

"Don't you ever do that to me again. Or I will personally kill you."

"Nah, you wouldn't; you love me too much."

"Do I? Are you will to take that chance? Because I have Sakura, Tsunade, and every other Konoha ninjas' support behind me."

"Okay, okay. I believe you. Oh, god. Sakura. How am I going to talk to her about this?"

"About what?"

"I- I found out who my parents were."

"I know." Hinata said quietly. Naruto's head shot up, disbelief shining in his sapphire eyes.

"You knew?"

"Not until Tsunade told me when I left for this mission. So two and a half, three days. How long have you known?"

"Since I disappeared. It was Kyuubi. He told me who my father was. And my mother… Did you know that she was the Kyuubi's former jinchuuriki? She didn't die in childbirth, she died getting the Kyuubi ripped out of her. Then Kyuu went on his rampage through Konoha." Naruto explained in a tight voice. Hinata nodded, digesting the new information.

"Where did you go? The entire Rookie 9 went looking for you, right after you vanished. We found the battlefield and tracked your trail until it disappeared off a cliff."

"Oh, that. I was reverse summoned."

"By who? I thought the toads had told you that they wouldn't do that unless it was an emergency. Did something happen on Mount Myoboku?"

"I wasn't reverse summoned by the toads. My name disappeared from the summoning scroll, right?"

"Yeah, that's why Tsunade-obaachan ordered an end to recovery missions for you. I thought you didn't disappear from the scrolls unless you died or were ostracized by the toads or something like that."

"Yes and yes, but there's also another way to be removed."

"What?"

"I signed a summoning contract with higher beings."

"Higher beings?" Hinata asked, confused as to what her old friend was getting at. As far as she knew, all summons were the same. Some were more powerful, but even then you could sign more than one contract without forfeiting another.

"Just watch," Naruto said as he formed the summoning seals. He bit his thumb and slammed his palm into the rocky soil. A puff of smoke later and a small red fox stood in front of the pair.

"Hello, Naruto-sama. Was there something you needed?" The small vixen asked. Hinata jumped at the fox's voice, not expecting the vixen to speak.

"I just wanted to introduce you to Hinata-chan. Yuri, if you could, can you show Hinata-chan your true form?"

"Are you sure that is a good idea, Naruto-sama? I'd rather not scare the poor girl."

"That poor girl is Konoha's Lioness, a grown woman who just gave me two bruises and a possible concussion. I'm sure she can take it."

"If you wish," the fox sighed before transforming in front of Hinata's eyes. The small fox shuddered once before growing to Hinata's knees. Her single red tail split into seven, lightening to pure white until the very tips, where a vibrant red-orange could still be seen. Her coat lightened into a pale golden color that shimmered in the sunlight. "That's better," the vixen said, stretching out.

"Hinata-chan, this is Yuri. I'm good friends…more or less…with her father. Yuriko is one of her father's royal guard and one of my best friends. She is one of my summons, a demon fox," Naruto finished, petting Yuri's head gently. Hinata's eyes grew wide as her mouth fell open, moving incoherently. She swayed once before falling to the ground, fainting.

"See, Naruto-sama? I told you that she wasn't prepared for that."

"She actually took it better than I thought she would. I was expecting screaming, running away, or something to that extent. Hmm… We should probably get her back to Konoha…Can you transform into your human form? It'd be easier to get you into the village, I'm afraid they're still against demon foxes," Naruto sighed, talking to the vixen as he slung Hinata over his shoulder. "You'd think, after eighteen and a half years, they'd be over something he didn't even mean to do. They should be going after Madara, not your father."

"I know, you know. That's all Father needs right now. He knows he won't be able to clear his name until the Uchiha is caught." Yuriko spoke, transforming slowly into a human. In her human form, the vixen had straight silver hair down to her waist. Her face retained the animalistic beauty that all foxes possessed, her eyes holding untamed mischief. Her skin was pale, her limbs long and graceful. She was clothed in basic ninja garb: black cargo pants laden with shuriken and kunai, a dark red vest, and a headband bearing the Uzumaki clan symbol around her neck. Finishing the transformation, she glanced up at Naruto, now even in height.

"How do I look?" The kitsune asked with a smirk.

"Lovely as ever," Naruto rolled his eyes. "Now, let's get going. I want to be in Konoha by tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow? That's a three day journey without sleeping or eating!" Yuri exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"Yeah. We better get going." Naruto smiled, his eyes lighting up as he thought of his old friends, waiting for him. "I wonder if Tsunade told everyone after she got my note," he mused as he stepped out of the ocean and onto the rocky shore.

"If she was smart, she wouldn't have said anything to anyone except Hinata. Think about the disappointment she'd have to deal with if you didn't show. After all, I'm sure you were _very _popular with the girls back home," Yuriko laughed with a wink, following him out of the water and shaking in an attempt to get dry.

"That doesn't work as well when you're a human," Naruto pointed out as he watched Kyuubi's only daughter wring out her long hair.

"I know…I hate being human."

"Then it's a good thing you aren't, right? Besides, you get a choice: human, demon fox, or regular fox. I'm stuck with boring old human."

"Not if Father's training goes to plan."

"Yeah, I suppose. Anyway, we better get a move on. Lots of ground to cover." Naruto smiled as Yuriko groaned in exasperation.

"Why didn't you just put a Hiraishin in Konoha? That would've made things so much easier. Who cares if the villagers don't know your parentage, they shouldn't freak out seeing a yellow flash in the Hokage's office. I'm sure some of them have seen it before."

"Yeah, before the last Yellow Flash died, it might have been normal. He was the Yondaime, anyway. But now, there isn't supposed to be anyone that knows that technique. It'll just freak people out if they think that someone's using Minato's trump card against them."

The kitsune just growled in response, darting amongst the trees. Naruto smiled and followed Yuriko deeper into Fire Country.

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><p>Author's note: In case thou didns't get mine memo, Yuriko is Kyuubi's dearly beloved daughter.<p> 


	4. Returning Home

Author's Note: Well, damn I must be going crazy…I actually want to update…maybe something of this has re-ignited some sort of passion within me, I may have even decided where I want to go with this…Muahahaha! :D Unfortunately at this moment it's merely a tiny seedling in my mind's eye, but soon…soon…it shall grow into a magniforous tree house that I shall sing into existence with my fingertips!

(If you got the singing reference, kudos to you)

Disclaimer: I do not, never, and likely never will own anything relating to Naruto beyond what's my own creation.

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><p>Standing in the tree line, Naruto gazed at the gates. He had vanished from the Village Hidden in the Leaves over half a year ago. Standing in the devastated Whirlpool Country, it had been easy to believe that they'd welcome him back with open arms. Now, staring blankly at the intimidating walls, he felt a need to turn back.<p>

They had made it in record time; the sun had not even set behind Hokage Mountain. Yuriko had transformed back into a regular fox, now curled comfortingly around Namikaze Naruto's neck, her head on his left shoulder. Hyuuga Hinata had woken up close to Konoha, taken one look at the human Yuriko, and fainted once more, leaving her lying still in Naruto's arms once again.

A sound at the gate brought Naruto out of his trance, as a team was leaving for a mission. Studying the team, he recognized Konahamaru, Udon, and Moegi. They grew close to Naruto's location before Konahamaru stopped suddenly, glancing around him. The rest of his team kept walking, oblivious of his motionlessness as they chatted amongst themselves. Naruto shifted his weight and Konohamaru's eyes locked onto his position. His eyes looked confused until they lit up in joy.

"NII-CHAN!" The younger boy shouted, running towards the trees. Looking up, Moegi and Udon watched as their teammate sprinted into the trees. Naruto was frozen in shock; '_how did he see me?'_

"Konahamaru! What are you doing! We have a mission to do!" Moegi shouted towards the Sarutobi heir, who simply ignored her. Seconds later she heard a voice yell out from where Konahamaru had disappeared. Shaking her head, she and Udon left to investigate. There, in a small clearing, the future Rokudaime was being held captive by the Sandaime's grandson.

"N-Naruto?" Ebisu-sensei asked, not believing his eyes. Naruto put one arm behind his head nervously, the other supporting Hinata.

"Heh, hey guys. What's up?" Naruto smiled his old grin. Konahamaru finally released his old rival, smiling before punching him. "Ow… Why does everyone feel the need to beat me up? I think at least one person should be happy to see me, alive and well."

"We are… It's just- where have you been?" Ebisu asked the younger ninja.

"Whirlpool Country. I found the Village Hidden in the Whirling Tides. I learned who my parents were, stuff like that."

"You- You know who your father is?" Ebisu stuttered, not sure how to react.

"Yeah, did you know?"

"I was told after you vanished, right before the big recovery mission." Ebisu explained to Naruto before realizing who the younger ninja had in his arms. "Is Hinata-sama okay?"

"She'll be fine. We haven't rested since we left Whirlpool Country, she's a little drained," Naruto said, only telling half-lies.

"Then what are you doing waiting outside of the village! You need to go see Tsunade-obaachan!" Konahamaru shouted to his friend. Naruto chuckled and nodded once.

"I'll see you guys around. If Tsunade doesn't kill me first; if you can't find me later, check the memorial stone." Naruto joked, walking away towards the village. He neared the gate, walking towards the ninja that would be checking in visitors and such. He walked to the kunoichi, the young woman leaning back with her legs on the desk.

"Welcome to Konoha," she began in a bored tone, balancing a pencil on her nose. "Why are you here?"

"It's nice to see you too, Ino." The pencil fell to the floor, the kunoichi frozen in her seat. She glanced at the window, not believing her ears.

"N-Naruto?" She stuttered.

"Long time, no see."

"Yeah, like seven months… You baka! Where have you been! Do you have any idea what we've been through while you were on vacation? Don't even get me started on- Is that Hina-chan?" Ino stopped, finally noticing the unconscious ninja in Naruto's arms.

"Yeah, she was sent out to find me a few days ago. I ran all the way from Whirlpool Country to here. She passed out on the way."

"What were you doing in Whirlpool Country? I thought there was nothing left there."

"There isn't, I just wanted to know something for sure."

"What?"

"It's nothing, I'm sure Tsunade-obaachan will make a speech or something… Speaking of Tsunade, I should go find her."

"Try the old Namikaze compound, she's been there the past few days, doing who knows what," Ino shouted to Naruto's receding figure as he walked into the village. He turned and waved once before jumping onto the rooftops, not wanting to attract unwanted attention.

Ino watched as the future Rokudaime vanished into the setting sun. She sighed as she sat back down. '_I wonder how Forehead is going to react… She never did give up on him,' _Ino thought sadly as she prepared herself for another boring day of work.

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><p>Tsunade smirked, another pile of work lined up on her desk, already done. Thanks to Naruto's advice, she had been getting so much work done, Shizune even conceded to allowing her Rice Country sake. '<em>Speaking of Rice Country Sake-'<em>

The woman turned sharply, throwing a shuriken out the window. Two seconds later, a blond head appeared out from under the window.

"God Tsunade! I come all the way over here in a day and a half, and the first thing you do is try to decapitate me! I should go back to Whirlpool Country," Naruto exclaimed teasingly before stepping out of the window and opening his arms wide after depositing Hinata on one of the chairs. Tsunade obeyed, hugging him fiercely until she heard a crack.

"I... think… you just broke a rib…."

"Just cracked, you'll live." Tsunade smirked.

"You're not even going to heal it? Well, don't you appreciate me? What if we were to get attacked, right now, and I die because of this cracked rib?" While Tsunade shook her head, smirking, Naruto concentrated chakra to his hand, making it glow with a green light. He held his hand to his cracked rib and tried to breathe as evenly as possible. Once it was healed, he lowered his hand, raising his eyebrows at the now dumbstruck Godaime.

"Wh-When did you learn medical ninjutsu?"

"I'm almost nineteen; I was bound to learn it at some time. Besides, I thought it would be a useful skill when I was Hokage. If my troops are injured, I'll be able to heal more people than the average medical ninja, if only because of my ridiculous chakra reserves," Naruto explained. "Speaking of which," he started, lowering a glowing hand to Hinata's chest. She woke with a start and glanced around herself, trying to figure out where she was.

"The Hokage's office?" She asked, looking for confirmation. Naruto nodded.

"Naruto? What's that around your neck?" Tsunade said, sounding a little panicked at the sight of the fox.

"Oh, where are my manners. Tsunade, meet Yuriko, one of my summons. Yuriko, this is the Godaime Hokage, the Slug Sannin, Senju Tsunade." The vixen nodded, lifting her head off of Naruto's shoulder. She studied Tsunade before concluding she was not a threat to her Naruto-sama. "Aren't you going to say hello, Tsunade-obaachan?"

"What? Oh- umm… Hello?"

"Hello, Tsunade-sama. It's an honour to meet you. Naruto-sama speaks very highly of you." The vixen spoke, her vulpine grin turning into a smirk as another dumbstruck expression fell upon Tsunade's face. Her mouth moved slowly before she gave up on talking, shook herself, and sat at her desk. She proceeded to pull out a large bottle of sake and two glasses. Pouring Naruto a glass, she pointed to a chair.

"Explain."

One long explanation and two bottles of sake later, Tsunade stood from her desk, swaying slightly. Naruto grimaced and walked over to Tsunade's side.

"See, obaachan? This is why Shizune hides your alcohol from you…" He mumbled, pulling her towards the Hokage Mansion. Pausing at the door, Naruto left a Hiraishin seal above the doorway. He took Tsunade home and made sure she was asleep before he left for the Namikaze compound.

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><p>At the Namikaze Compound<p>

The last Namikaze stared at the lifeless compound. It was huge, a bit bigger than the Uchiha compound and just as empty. Naruto walked up the path to what he assumed was the main house, judging from its size. It had a kitchen, two bathrooms, two studies, a large living room, and four bedrooms spread over two floors. Glancing into each of the rooms, he noted that it appeared someone had been there recently, cleaning. Correctly assuming that it had been Tsunade preparing for his arrival, he pushed the observation from his mind.

Yuriko volunteered to take up a watch, not wanting any unpleasant surprises while Naruto discovered whatever secrets his home held. Naruto summoned a number of other foxes to set up a perimeter and ventured back into the house that was now his.

He left his few belongings into the largest bedroom, located on the first floor, before walking into the study next door. The study walls were lined with shelves, most containing instructions for various jutsu. Naruto studied the room he assumed his father had once worked in, searching for who knows what, when he spotted a small seal hidden partially behind a shelf next to the desk. The young ninja pushed the shelf out of the way easily and, recognizing the seal as a blood seal, bit his thumb and smeared the crimson liquid onto the seal. The wall shook soundlessly, a narrow door appearing beside the seal.

Without hesitation, Naruto stepped into the doorway, following the corridor until he came upon a dusty library. Glancing around the room, he immediately knew what he had stumbled upon. _The Namikaze family records. _Everything to do with the family, from family jutsu to history and bank receipts would be stored on the shelves located around the room. In the center of the library stood a glass case. Naruto walked towards the case, curious. There, lying on a small black and red pillow, sat a three pronged kunai.

Recognizing it as his father's main tool for the Hiraishin, Naruto removed the kunai from the case, getting a feel for the weight before deciding to use it as his father did before him. He pocketed the kunai before walking out of the records room, resealing the room behind him. He replaced the shelf and walked back into his bedroom, only to be surprised by Yuriko.

Now in human form, Yuriko lay on one side of the bed, already asleep. Glancing under the sheets, Naruto sighed in relief. Naruto was sure that Kyuu wouldn't appreciate his former host sleeping with his daughter. Yuriko had made a number of hints to the ninja, few enough that she was still being honourable to her father's friend, but enough to be plain with her intentions. Naruto sighed before kicking his shoes off and climbed into bed next to the kitsune.

A/N:

I'm not sure how far I'll go with Yuriko in this fic, but I can assure you that this will be a fic focused on Naruto and Hinata.


	5. Death Threats

Author's note: Well here we are, chapter 5...I do have to warn you all that after the next chapter the updates will likely be much slower than one a day or every two days. With any luck I WILL update once or twice during the week, generally on the weekend. Thanks for the good report so far and I'm glad that those who originally read from Trisya have seen fit to see how I continue the story. My only hope is that I don't disappoint you all. (I'm also very happy that I've gotten a number of reviews already, keep them coming)

Disclaimer: Me? Own Naruto or anything associated with Masashi Kishimoto's work? Ummm…did somebody slip something in your drink or were you "Born this way"?

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><p>Tsunade ran her fingers through her hair, a nervous habit that she had fallen into during Naruto's long absence. He had been back all of two days, and the village council was already moving against Naruto. Hiashi seemed ecstatic at the idea of forcing the ninja to stay in the village, coaxed by the Hyuuga and village elders. Elders who, unfortunately, were unwilling to give Naruto a chance.<p>

Tsunade stood from her chair, staring at the mountain that portrayed her closest friends and family, all dead. All five Hokage stared at the village that each had worked and paid with their lives to defend. Tsunade met the unseeing eyes of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. '_What would you do, Minato, if you saw this village now? If you watched as our council tried to banish your only son?'_

"Hey, Tsunade-obaachan!" A voice called from the other side of the room, making Tsunade jump. She, one of the legendary Sannin, had not felt Naruto's presence until he'd called her attention to him. She smiled, tiredly.

"Shouldn't you be asleep, baka? It's nearly midnight," the Godaime pointed out to her heir.

"Speak for yourself. I had to get away from Yuriko. I think she's jealous," Naruto shook his head, grabbing a stack of paperwork and creating clones. Tsunade flashed him a smile grateful for the help.

"Jealous? Of what?"

"Hinata-chan. Yuriko has… taken an interest, apparently. Her father wasn't too pleased about that."

"I'm not surprised. I know my father was furious when Jiraiya-" Her voice caught in her throat, remembering her deceased teammate. Naruto nodded, focusing on the work in front of him. The two worked in silence until an ANBU Shunshined into the office, just inside the door.

"What happened?" Naruto asked, jumping to his feet and sending paperwork fluttering away from him. The ANBU glanced at Tsunade briefly before nodding and turning his head back to Naruto.

"Sai-sama's team. We hadn't gotten a report for over two weeks, then we recieved this," the ninja said, holding out a scroll in his gloved hand and placed it onto Tsunade's desk.

"ANBU-san, do we have any information on Sai's location?" Tsunade ordered, trying not to panic as she pulled out a map.

"We've been getting reports back twice a week, from this area," the ANBU said, pointing near the heart of Iwa.

Naruto grabbed the scroll and scanned its contents, his eyes widening as they darted across the paper. He dropped the scroll and disappeared out of the office in a yellow flash.

"He- he never told me he mastered that move," Tsunade gasped as her hand shot forward to catch the scroll before it fell. Bringing it up to her eyes, her hand froze. The scroll was written in what appeared to be blood, the handwriting matching -from a glance- Sai's. Violently splashed across the clean paper were the words, '- sent to kill UN'.

'_UN…'_ Tsunade thought, pacing. '_They were clearly initials, but whose? How did Naruto- Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. Who was sent to kill Naruto? It seemed like he understood, but how? How many enemies could he have?'_

"Rock Country? What were they- Never mind, dismissed," she waved him away, glancing out her window again.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Naruto. Please don't give the council a reason. Please," Tsunade whispered to the cold night air.

Naruto appeared in his bedroom. His knees buckled out from under him, the Hiraishin not completely mastered and draining large amounts of chakra. He allowed himself a moment to breath, then rushed to Hinata's room.

After returning from Whirlpool Country, Hinata had collected her few belongings, said a short goodbye to her father and left the Main House. She stopped by Neji and Tenten's home on the edge of the compound and gave each a hug, explaining her situation. Both had wished her luck, and she had been living in the Namikaze compound ever since.

Peeking inside her room, Naruto noticed that the pale-eyed kunoichi was not asleep, or even in the room. He quickly searched the house, kunai in hand. There was no sign of a struggle, not a single piece of furniture out of place, and, most importantly, no Hinata. Flashing through a number of signs, Naruto bit his thumb and slammed his palm onto the wooden floor of the living room, summoning his own personal guard. Yuriko and a number of other foxes appeared in a puff of smoke, all staring at Naruto.

"What is it, Naruto-sama?" Yuriko questioned her human summoner.

"I told you to stop calling me that, Yuriko," Naruto began to complain before he remembered why he summoned his foxes. "I need your help. Hinata-chan's gone missing, and I have reason to believe that she's been captured by Iwa ninjas." The majority of the foxes nodded and dispersed, searching for Hinata's trail, leaving Naruto and Yuriko standing in the living room.

"Iwa? What would Rock want with her?"

"Nothing. They don't want her, they want me. Don't you remember? Son of the Yellow Flash, and all that? Plus what we did there a few months ago."

"Oh, yeah, I remember! That was fun." Yuriko grinned, a light reminiscent of bloodlust shining in her intelligent eyes. Naruto's eyes were desperate, not wanting to lose Hinata again.

"Can you go look? You are one of the best trackers," he pointed out, exasperated. Yuriko nodded her head once before transforming into a human. "What was that for?"

"You're coming with me. We're leaving now."

"You found them?" Naruto asked the kitsune. Yuriko lifted her face to the breeze coming through the window and nodded.

"Go fetch the others. We're going hunting," Yuriko flashed a smile. "Human hunting."

"Your favourite kind."

"No other animals put up as much of a struggle when they know they're about to die. Humans are more creative when they're desperate," Yuriko smiled sadistically as Naruto whistled once.

"You are too much like your father, Yuriko."

"Funny, Father says the same thing about you," she chuckled as the other demon foxes walked into the room. "Change up. We're going human on this one." A number of the foxes grumbled their complaints, as their human forms were generally weaker than their natural form or even their mortal fox form. "Shut up, you could use the practice. Okay Naruto, this is your mission. The Iwa base is two and half, maybe three miles to the… northeast." Naruto nodded, digesting the information.

"I know you won't appreciate me saying this, but leave at least one alive for questioning. Injured is fine, but he- or she- had better be able to speak, or you'll have to answer to me," Naruto stared all the foxes down, making a few of them twitch. "Once we're at the camp, I want to set up a perimeter. No survivors except for my informant; this is going to be clean, so to speak. I want the leader to be the first to go; Yuriko, he's all yours." Seeing the determination in his summons' eyes, Naruto nodded and jumped out of the window, leaping across the rooftops followed by his foxes.

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><p>Author's Note: Shorter than I would like to make a chapter I know, but soon I shall have chapters flowing at a good rate, and will hopefully not drop below 2000 words.<p>

Hinata is kidnapped just as she was all those years ago, what will happen to her now that she's been captured by Rock (I think it was Rock, correct me if I'm wrong) what will become of Naruto? Only the next chapter will tell.


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